Alexandra Kriksunova

Restorations

From initial examination and conservation to completed restoration.

AES+F — Pietà

AES+F. “Pietà”, from the series “Allegoria Sacra”, 2020.

Oil and print on canvas. 230 × 120 cm.

Restoration, 2024.

Regeneration of a varnish layer that had turned cloudy after a fire. The transparency of the varnish film, the surface gloss and the depth of colour were restored.

Before regeneration. Clouding of the varnish in the central area.
Detail of the varnish layer in raking light.
Detail with the male figure. Surface condition under directional light.
The varnish layer under directional light.
After regeneration. General view of the composition.
After varnish regeneration. Detail of the multi-figure composition.
After regeneration. Detail of faces and drapery.
After regeneration. Detail with restored depth of colour.
After regeneration. Detail of the vegetation with restored depth of colour.
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Beth Zion Synagogue

Research and restoration of the decorative interior of the Beth Zion Synagogue.

Berlin, Brunnenstraße 33. 2022.

Development of the interior colour scheme based on a 1935 newspaper photograph and surviving fragments of the wall painting. The tonal values of the black-and-white photograph were compared with original remains of the decoration to determine the placement of colour and gilding. Preparation of colour sketches and restoration of the decorative finishes.

Original fragments of wall painting on the vault behind a column.
Before work began. General view of the interior.
Before work began. Side view of the interior.
Restoration of the decorative finishes in progress.
After completion. General view.
Detail of the finish: gilded lattice on a coloured ground.
Column finish and gilded ring next to surviving fragments of wall painting.
Historical photograph of the interior, 1935. Source for the colour scheme.
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Epitaphios

Restoration of an epitaphios, late 19th – early 20th century.

St. George Monastery, Götschendorf, Germany.

100 × 170 cm. Velvet, silk, metal threads; painted inserts on canvas with a rubberised backing.

Disinfection in a thymol chamber. Removal of drying-oil deposits, darkened varnish and later overpaint. Cleaning and consolidation of the textile support, securing of threads, replacement of missing elements. Local retouching of the painted areas and application of a protective coating.

Before restoration. General view of the epitaphios.
Before restoration. The face of Christ beneath the darkened coating.
Before restoration. Detail of painting and metal-thread embroidery.
After restoration. General view of the epitaphios.
Central painted insert. Detail of the figure of Christ.
Detail at the border between a painted insert and metal-thread embroidery.
Painted inserts with the faces of the mourners. Paired detail.
Detail of a male face.
Detail of a female face.
Detail of a face framed by metal-thread embroidery.
Detail of a male face framed by metal-thread embroidery.
Detail of a face and its textile frame.
Face of the Mother of God. Detail of a painted insert.
Detail of the epitaphios: painted inserts and metal-thread embroidery.
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Double-sided icon

Research and restoration of a double-sided icon of Saints Hermogenes and Athanasius of Brest.

Early 20th century. Oil on galvanised iron. 107 × 71 cm.

Church of Saints Constantine and Helena, Berlin-Tegel.

A rare double-sided icon, presumably created for the tercentenary of the House of Romanov in 1913. The image of Patriarch Hermogenes follows the iconographic type created by Viktor Vasnetsov in 1911.

Dirt, mould and corrosion products were removed and the paint layer was consolidated on both sides. Cleaning revealed the original floral ornament. An art-historical study was carried out.

Saint Hermogenes. Before restoration. General view.
Venerable Martyr Athanasius of Brest. Before restoration. General view.
Before restoration. Detail of Hermogenes: condition of the paint layer.
Before restoration. Detail of the surface with dirt and damage.
Before restoration. Detail of the face of Athanasius: surface condition.
During cleaning. Detail with the scroll.
During restoration. Detail of the halo and inscription.
Iconographic source for the image of Hermogenes — a work by Viktor Vasnetsov.
Original floral ornament revealed during cleaning.
Saint Hermogenes. After conservation and partial retouching.
Athanasius of Brest. After conservation and partial retouching.
After cleaning and consolidation of the paint layer. The image of Hermogenes.
Detail of Athanasius: hands and open book.
Sketch reconstruction of the ornament and colour palette based on surviving fragments.
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Enamel icons

Restoration of a collection of icons in painted enamel (finift).

Mid- and late 19th century.

Private collection.

Compensation of losses in the enamel. Development and application of an original technique for a protective coating based on synthetic resins that does not damage the enamel surface.

Icon with three saints. Before restoration.
Archangel Michael. Before restoration.
Virgin and Child. Before restoration. Damage along the edges.
Saint Sophia. Before restoration.
Reverse of an icon. Before restoration. Losses along the edges and cracks in the enamel.
“The Resurrection of Christ” with border scenes of the feasts. Before restoration.
Reverse of the icon “The Resurrection of Christ”. Inscription and cracks in the enamel.
“Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Charity and their mother Sophia”. During restoration: applying filler to areas of enamel loss.
Icon with three saints. After restoration.
“Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Charity and their mother Sophia”. After restoration.
Archangel Michael. After restoration.
Virgin and Child. After loss compensation.
Saint Sophia. After restoration.
Reverse of an icon. After loss compensation.
“The Resurrection of Christ”. After restoration.
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Icon of St Nicholas the Wonderworker

Restoration of an icon of St Nicholas the Wonderworker in a metal riza (cover).

Consolidation of the wooden panel, ground and paint layer. Filling of ground losses and local retouching of the painting.

Before restoration. General view in the metal riza.
Before restoration. Detail of the face: losses of ground and paint layer.
Before restoration. View without the riza: open joint between the boards, losses of ground and paint.
During restoration. Protective facing of the painting.
During restoration. Filling ground losses along the board joint.
During restoration. Local filling of ground losses in the painted area.
After restoration. General view in the riza.
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Poster “Le Corbusier. Tapisseries”

Restoration of the exhibition poster “Le Corbusier. Tapisseries”, 1963.

Private collection.

Removal of heavy soiling by washing. Repair of tears and flattening of distortions in the paper — creases and crumpling.

Before restoration. Tears, creases and crumpling of the paper.
During restoration. General view of the poster.
Washing the sheet. Detail of the reverse.
After flattening. Detail of the sheet.
After restoration. Detail of the image and exhibition lettering.
After restoration. Detail of the image.
After restoration and pressing. Reverse of the sheet.
After restoration and pressing. Reverse of the sheet at an angle.
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Garden in Torbole

Unknown artist. “Garden in Torbole, Italy”.

Mid-20th century. Oil on cardboard. 20 × 40 cm.

Surface cleaning, filling of ground losses and local retouching.

Before restoration. General view.
Before restoration. Detail with surface dirt.
Before restoration. Lower corner: surface condition and losses.
During restoration. Filling ground losses before retouching.
After restoration. General view.
After restoration. Detail of the painting with the artist’s texture preserved.
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Fedoskino lacquer box

“Dmitry Donskoy on the Kulikovo Field”, after the 1805 painting by Orest Kiprensky.

Russia. Oil lacquer miniature. Private collection.

Regeneration of the lacquer coating, taking into account the technique of miniature painting. The transparency of the lacquer film, the surface gloss and the depth of colour were restored.

Blistering of the lacquer coating. General view.
After treatment of the blistering. The lacquer film laid back in place.
After varnishing. Transparency of the coating and depth of colour restored.
After varnishing. Angled view: surface gloss.
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Frame — restoring a shellac finish

Selection and restoration of a frame.

England. 1950s.

A frame with a shellac finish was selected to present the work. The surface showed abrasion, scratches and other signs of wear to the finish.

The shellac coating was consolidated. Surface gloss and depth of colour were restored while preserving the character of the historical finish.

Before restoration.
After restoration.
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